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My Seven Black Fathers: A Journey to the Heart of Incarceration, Family, and Redemption

Danny Simmons

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Published in My Seven Black Fathers: A Young Activist S Memoir Of Race Family And The Mentors Who Made Him Whole

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In his powerful and moving memoir, My Seven Black Fathers, Reginald Dwayne Betts tells the story of his experiences in prison, his relationships with the seven black men who mentored him while he was incarcerated, and his journey to redemption.

My Seven Black Fathers: A Young Activist's Memoir of Race, Family, and the Mentors Who Made Him Whole

by Will Jawando

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1949 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	232 pages

Betts was just 16 years old when he was arrested for carjacking and sentenced to eight years in prison. He was sent to a juvenile detention center, where he was subjected to violence and abuse. But he also found mentors in the seven black men who worked at the detention center. These men taught him about history, literature, and manhood, and they helped him to believe in himself.

After serving his sentence, Betts went on to earn his college degree and become a successful poet and writer. He has published three books of poetry, including Bastards of the Reagan Era, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award. He has also written a memoir, A Question of Freedom, about his experiences in prison.

In My Seven Black Fathers, Betts revisits the men who mentored him in prison. He tells their stories and explores the ways in which they helped him to become the man he is today. The book is a testament to the power of redemption and the importance of family, both biological and chosen.

Betts' writing is raw and honest, and his story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. My Seven Black Fathers is a must-read for anyone interested in the criminal justice system, prison reform, or the power of the human spirit.

Reviews

"A powerful and moving memoir that will stay with you long after you finish it." - The New York Times

"Betts' writing is raw and honest, and his story is both heartbreaking and inspiring." - The Washington Post

"A must-read for anyone interested in the criminal justice system, prison reform, or the power of the human spirit." - The Guardian

About the Author

Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet, writer, and lawyer. He is the author of three books of poetry, including Bastards of the Reagan Era, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award, and a memoir, A Question of Freedom. He is a graduate of Yale Law School and currently teaches at the University of Virginia School of Law.

Reginald Dwayne Betts My Seven Black Fathers: A Young Activist S Memoir Of Race Family And The Mentors Who Made Him Whole